I had some help

Thirteen

As they continued chatting, Hardy suddenly remembered a conversation he had with Alex a while back. He grinned mischievously. "Hey, Alex, remember when you said you'd sing karaoke one day?"

Alex narrowed her eyes playfully. "Oh no, Hardy. Don't even think about it."

"Too late," He said, pulling out his phone. "I just signed you up. Tonight's the night."

Morgan laughed, clapping his hands. "This is going to be good!"

Alex rolled her eyes but couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, fine. But you guys owe me big time." She said before downing one more shot before walking up to the stage.

The crowd cheered as Alex made her way to the stage. She chose Blown Away, one of her favorites.

As the music started, Alex took a deep breath and began to sing. Her voice filled the room, clear and powerful. The crowd was mesmerized, and Hardy and Morgan watched with wide smiles, cheering her on.

When she finished, the bar erupted in applause. She returned to the table, where Hardy and Morgan greeted her with high-fives and hugs.

"That was amazing, Alex!" Hardy said, beaming.

"Yeah, you killed it!" Morgan added.

Alex blushed, feeling a sense of camaraderie and accomplishment. "Thanks, guys. That was actually a lot of fun."

"Wanna sing a song together?" Morgan asked, looking at Alex with a hopeful grin.

"Ummm, which one?" Alex asked, already knowing the answer but wanting to hear him say it.

Morgan's eyes lit up as he responded, "Need You Now."

Alex smiled at the boy, nodding. "I figured you'd say that."

They both stood up and made their way back to the stage.

The familiar intro of "Need You Now" by Lady A filled the bar, and Alex and Morgan shared a brief, nostalgic glance. As they began to sing, their voices harmonized beautifully, blending effortlessly as they had so many times before.

"That was incredible." Hardy said, clapping them on the back. "You guys should sing together more often."

Alex laughed, feeling a warm glow of happiness. "Maybe we should." She replied, winking at Morgan.

By the end of the night, Alex was unable to walk in a straight line, the effects of the evening's drinks making her unsteady. Morgan noticed how frequent she was drinking so he didn't drink anything so that he could drive her home.

"Come on, Alex. Let's get you home." Morgan said gently, putting an arm around her for support.

Alex agreed, wrapping her arms around him as they moved out of the bar. She leaned heavily on him, her head resting on his shoulder as they navigated through the bustling bar and out into the cool night air.

"Thanks, Morgan." Alex murmured, her voice slurred but sincere. "You're the best."

"Anytime, Alex." He replied, guiding her carefully to the passenger seat and helping her in.

Once she was settled, Morgan closed the door and walked around to the driver's side. As he started the car, Alex leaned back and closed her eyes, a content smile playing on her lips.

The drive was quiet, the city lights casting a soft glow through the car windows. Morgan glanced over at Alex, who had drifted into a peaceful sleep, her earlier worries temporarily forgotten.

When they reached his place, Morgan gently shook her awake. "Alex, we're here."

Morgan helped her out of the car and into the house, leading her to his bedroom. "Let me get you a change of clothes." He said, guiding her to sit on the edge of the bed.